NAB granted two weeks to complete probe against Durrani

The administrative judge of accountability courts on Friday granted the National Accountability Bureau two weeks time to complete inquiries against Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Durrani faces three inquires for allegedly making assets beyond recognisable income, making of illegal appointments at government projects and institutions, and embezzlement of public funds.

At the outset of the hearing, NAB officials submitted before the judge that they needed more time to complete the investigation against the speaker to which the judge asked why they need more time when they already had more than two months.

The anti-graft body officials said that they were almost done with the investigation and the time was needed to collect some more evidences against the accused. They assured the judge that they would file the charge sheet in the stipulated time. Meanwhile, Durrani’s lawyer moved an application before the judge stating that, given the status of his client, Durrani should be given ‘B’ class facilities in the jail and hoped that the NAB should not have any reservation on this.

The judge issued notice to NAB prosecutor to argue on the application on the next hearing on May 10 and also sought charge sheet from the investigators. The accused was remanded to prison on April 12 after he spent 51 days in the custody of the NAB on physical remand.

Talking to journalists at courts, Durrani on his transfer to jail from NAB custody said that he felt like he had come to Pakistan from Indian captivity. Speaking of the political situation in the country, he said that it seemed that Prime Minister Imran Khan was having a difficult time in setting his government.